Republic Act No. 5175

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippine Congress Assembled:

Section 1

Subparagraph (a) of Section one of Republic Act Numbered Forty three hundred seventy three is hereby amended to read as follows:

"Sec. 1. As used in this Act:

"(a) Social work is the profession which is primarily concerned with organized social service activity, aimed to facilitate and strengthen basic social relationships and the mutual adjustment between individuals and their social environment for the good of the individual and of society by the use of social work methods."

Section 2

Subparagraph (c) of Section two of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows:

"(c) Possess a Master’s Degree in Social Work (M.S.S.W., M.S.S., M.A.S.W., or its equivalent) conferred by a reputable school, college or university duly recognized by the government, and also by a duly accredited school, college or university abroad."

Section 3

Section ten of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows:

"Sec. 10. Practice of social work and appointment as social workers.— Unless exempt from registration, no person shall practice or offer to practice social work in the Philippines as defined in this Act, or be appointed as a social worker or to any position calling for social worker in any social worker agency whether private or government without holding a valid certificate of registration as a social worker issued by the Board of Examiners for Social Workers: Provided, That registration shall not be required of recognized social workers or authorities on social work who are residents and/or citizens of other countries called in for consultations in any agency working with the United Nations and/or similar international social agencies: Provided, further, That no provision of this Act shall be construed to prejudice permanently appointed social workers who are employed in private or government social work agencies at the date of approval of this Act, who shall continue to enjoy rights to promotion and salary increases, retirement benefits and other previously acquired rights: Provided, Furthermore, That those who at the time of the effectivity of this Act, possess the qualifications enumerated in Section twelve and are actually engaged in the practice of social work for a period of five years in a social work agency recognized by the Community Chest, Council of Welfare Agencies, Philippine Youth Welfare Coordinating Council, or Social Welfare Administration, shall be exempted from taking the examination as provided herein if they register as social workers within a period of one year after the approval of this Act: Provided, still further, That those who before the effectivity of this Act are holding regular appointment to social work positions in the government service on a provisional status for lack of the educational qualifications required under this Act for the purpose of taking the board examination and have rendered five years or more of continuous and satisfactory service in social work shall, within a period of ten years but not later than December thirty-first, nineteen hundred seventy-eight, be allowed to retain their positions in order to qualify as registered social workers under the provisions hereof: And Provided, finally, That any person who at the time of the effectivity of this amendatory Act possesses the qualifications enumerated in Section twelve hereof except that which is specified in subparagraph (d) of Section two hereof and who has been openly performing the functions of, or practicing as, a social worker as defined in this Act for at least a total of ten years prior to the effectivity of this amendatory Act, shall be allowed to continue performing such functions or such practice in the same office or agency until he or she retires without the necessity of examination for registration provided that an affidavit affirming the circumstances of such continuous practice or a certification by the Civil Service to the same effect is filed with the Board."

Section 4

Section twelve of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows:

"Sec. 12. Qualification of applicants.— In order to be admitted to take the social work examination, an applicant must, at the time of filing his or her application therefor, establish to the satisfaction of the Board that:

"(a) He or she is a citizen of the Philippines;

"(b) He or she is at least twenty-one years of age;

"(c) He or she is in good health and is of good moral character;

"(d) He or she has received a diploma as holder of a bachelor’s degree or master’s degree or its equivalent in social work from an institution, college or university duly accredited and legally constituted: Provided, That the provisions of Republic Act Numbered Twenty-two hundred and sixty insofar as cultural minorities are concerned be applied; and

"(e) He or she has completed a minimum period of one thousand case hours of practical training in an established social work agency under the direct supervision of a fully trained and qualified social worker."

Section 5. Subparagraph (h) of Section twenty

six of the same Act is hereby repealed.

Section 6. Subparagraph (i) of Section twenty

six of the same Act is hereby re-designated as subparagraph (h).

Section 7

This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Approved: August 4, 1967.